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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25124881">If love is what you need, a solider I will be</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/uwillbeefound/pseuds/uwillbeefound'>uwillbeefound</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Detroit: Evolution [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Detroit: Evolution</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, DE ArtFest, Detroit Evolution, Hurt and comfort, M/M, Post Detroit Evolution, Protective Nines, Time Loop</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:33:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25124881</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/uwillbeefound/pseuds/uwillbeefound</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>DE artfest day 7: Time travel/loop </p>
<p>Nines is stuck in a loop to trying to save Gavin, but the universe itself seems against them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tina Chen &amp; Gavin Reed, Tina Chen &amp; Upgraded Connor | RK900, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Detroit: Evolution [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1702627</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>If love is what you need, a solider I will be</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>There is so much triggering content in this so please be careful! There is brief implied suicidal thoughts and a lot of angst, major character death is temporary but it happens a few times.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Day 7: Time loop </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Gavin! Gavin!” Nines was at Gavin’s side in a second. He pushed the wound but the blood was flowing out of the wound too fast. Nines LED shone red as he looked at Gavin. He shouldn’t of let Gavin split off and go in alone, shouldn’t of let this happen. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Gavin reached up, placing his hand on Nines cheek, looking up at him, “It’s ok, Tin Can.” His voice was hoarse as he winced in pain “You did your best, Terminator.” He added, looking up to the sky as his hand fell to the floor once more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No! Gavin wake up.” Nines pushed against the wound again, ignoring the blood which was covering his hands now and the tears falling down his face. He continued to shake him with his other hand, begging. “I can’t...I can’t do this without you…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He was vaguely aware of being joined by other people, but he didn’t care, he didn’t care who they were, his was trapped, scanning Gavin over and over again for any signs of life, of hope but every time the same message appeared, deceased, deceased, deceased.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines was pulled away as he struggled in the persons grip. He was as strong as Nines and easily held him back. Nines could vaguely make out some words, attempts at comfort, but they felt meaningless to him. Eventually Nines gave up, collapsing in a bundle on the floor, aware of the blood on his hands and the person who he was being held by, he didn’t care who it was. It wasn’t Gavin. It would never be Gavin again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Eventually, Nines realised he was being checked over for injuries, his hands being mercifully wiped clean, although his mind could still see the blood every present on his hands. He was uninjured, physically anyway. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tina came over eventually, her eyes red as she pulled Nines into a hug, causing them both to begin to cry once more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I need to go home.” Nines muttered after a few minutes, looking up.Part of him didn’t want to, didn’t want to face the empty apartment, apparent from the cats, one of which they had adopted together. The other part of him wanted nothing more than to be alone. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nines, you don’t have to, you could come with me, stay with me and Valerie.” Tina replied quietly, looking over at Nines “You shouldn’t be alone.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to be, I need to be, to process…” Nines stopped, looking down at the floor. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok…ok, but I’m taking you, and you have to promise to call.” Tina replied, leading to him to the car “And I’m coming to check on you in the morning.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Understandable.” Nines replied, following her. They moved in silence, rode in the car in silence. Nines would have usually questioned if Tina was in a good mental state for driving, but he didn’t have the energy to care. He was glad that Tina understood his need to be alone, but he understood her worry. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll see you tomorrow, call us ok?” Tina replied when they reached the door “Do you want me to come in with you?” She added, after hugging him once more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I’ll be alright.” Nines replied, opening the door “Thank you.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No problem, Nines.” She replied, waiting until he had entered the room and closed the door until she left. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines looked around, thinking back to that morning, making breakfast, the teasing before work. The plates were still left in the sink, Gavin’s clothes were thrown loosely into the basket in the rush to leave the house. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines sunk onto the sofa as the cats came up to him. One rubbed around his leg as the other jumped on his lap, both seemed to be looking for the missing member of the household. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not coming.” Nines muttered softly, stroking the fur of the cat “I’m sorry…” He added, looking around the room once more. He wasn’t sure exactly how long he stayed there, it was now dark, the moon was letting in light. Nines gently moved the cats onto the side of the sofa, heading towards the room. He stopped, unable to enter the room. He couldn’t bare the thought of laying down and going into stasis with the knowledge that Gavin wasn’t by his side. He turned around and headed to the sofa once more, going into the stasis with the only comfort being the soft purrs of the cats by his side.</span>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nines? Hey Tin Can wake up.” Gavin shook Nines awake, looking concerned. Nines looked up at him before looking around the room, confused.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Gavin? You can’t be here, I saw…” Nines stopped as Gavin take his hand. He felt real enough, he was here, in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, I’m here ok? Did you have a nightmare or something? Doesn’t explain why you’re out here…” Gavin replied, spotting that Nines LED was still yellow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines completed an internal scan. The 7th of July. That didn’t make sense to him, surely that was yesterday. Yesterday. The memories flooded back and his LED went red for a second. Maybe it was simply just a dream and yet...it felt so real. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose it was…” Nines replied simply, playing his hand on Gavin’s cheek as further proof that he was here, alive. “I remember going into stasis here as the last part of my dreams, maybe I moved during stasis.” Nines replied simply, looking at the clock “We overslept…”</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, dipshit, my alarm didn’t go off and you seemed completely out of it out here.” Gavin replied, getting up to move to the kitchen “I’ll just grab something quick for breakfast.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Alarm didn’t go off? That sounded familiar. In the dream, Nines lost track of time and so the two were almost late. It felt too familiar. Nines shook it off, moving to change into something else. He returned, noticing Gavin putting the plates in the sink. Exactly as he found them when he returned after...No. He had to stop noticing these things, it was impossible, his scan came back that there were no errors. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines carried on with the morning, finishing getting ready as Gavin left the bathroom and threw his clothes into the basket. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, lets go.” Gavin replied, collecting his keys and heading out the door, looking back to see Nines staring at the basket “Hey, Nines? You good?” He asked, touching his shoulder. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines looked back, his LED turning blue. “I’m fine, Gavin, just thinking.” He replied, leaving the apartment. Gavin followed after a second, not looking convinced. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the day went by as Nines found himself noticing little moments, conversations and pieces of information that he somehow knew before they happened. It wasn’t till the afternoon that he felt the horror from the previous night return. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines couldn’t place it but he knew the raid would go wrong. He tried to call it off but Gavin refused. Instead, he took the other route. He heard Gavin scream. This time he didn’t even get to say goodbye. A sniper, he assumed, with a single shot to Gavin’s head. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once again, Nines found himself in the empty bedroom, wondering and praying that it was just another dream. He couldn’t face the bedroom again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He woke up again to find Gavin looking over at him, worried again. He found himself saying the same things again by habit. He made little changes this time, he washed up to keep the dishes out the sink, he placed Gavin’s clothes in the washing machine. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This time he managed to get Gavin to stay in the car, it didn’t help. This time it was a truck, trying to escape the raid. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That night, Nines couldn’t go into stasis. He searched instead for stories of others in his situation and watched a film called groundhog day. The similarities were there, it wasn’t identical but similar enough, he hoped there was another way for him to escape. </span>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>On the fourth time, he found himself doing more things out of the ordinary, as if even the smallest thing could make a huge change. Part of him knew it wouldn’t, but he anxiously waited until the news of the raid that afternoon. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>This time, he stayed with Gavin, keeping close to his side. He warned about the sniper and saw as the men was taken down before he could make the shot. In that moment of relief, he wasn’t quick enough to stop the bullet. He died once more in his arms. </span>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was as if the universe itself had it against them. Nothing Nines did worked. He refused to go and Gavin died alone. He forced Gavin not to go and the gang infiltrated the headquarters. He went on his own and Gavin was posioned. He solved the case that morning 8 times and each time something happened. He managed to persuade Gavin to stay home two different times, the first there was a fire, the second a sniper again. One time he even considered the fact that he could be the problem...the possible way to leave the loop...he finally took Tina’s offer to call that night. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was on the 17th try that Tina pulled him aside. He was desperate and running out of combinations. There was no way he could give up, but watching Gavin die time and time again...it hurt. He felt helpless, running in a loop that he had no control. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s going on with you?” She asked, pulling him into the kitchen, “You’ve been acting strange all morning, stranger than usual.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s nothing I can’t handle…” Nines replied, fixing Gavin’s coffee and scanning it twice, just in case. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Gavin’s worried, your LED has been red all morning, you’re clearly not handling what every it is.” Tina added, blocking the door as he went to leave. “So come on, Nines, something’s clearly going on.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You wouldn’t believe me if I explained.” Nines replied simply, trying to look for a way through Tina’s blockade. He would have to be more careful next time, he supposed tat he was to preoccupied by everything else that he forgot he was surrounded by detectives and officers. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on Nines, I want to help.” Tina replied simply, causing Nines to stop and place the drink on the side. He wasn’t sure how to explain it, how do you explain that you have watched your partner die 16 times, tried to stop it 15 times and been unsuccessful even though you knew it was going to happen. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Groundhog day.” He spoke after a few minutes. From what he could tell, it was popular enough that Tina likely heard of it in some way, even if it was only in passing. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously?” Tina replied “How many times?” She added after a moment, clearly understanding the reference but unsurprisingly surprised. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is the 17th attempt.” Nines replied, looking out of the door towards Gavin, “You believe me?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s impossible, sure, but I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at Gavin today, you’re paranoid that any move could cause something to happen and you keep looking like at nay second he could disappear...Something happens doesn’t it?” She asked, following Nines gaze.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, a raid this afternoon, I have tried solving the case early, different combinations and locations with Gavin and everything so far had failed…” It felt good to get it off his chest but Nines could feel the tears swelling up again. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh Nines…” Tina moved over and pulled him into a hug “I can try to stick with him this time, tell me everything that has happened so far.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines nodded, telling her every event, keeping it simple and hiding the detail as much as he could to spare Tina as much as possible. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Ok, Nines, if this goes wrong, find me. Tell me what you told me today. Promise me?” Tina looked over, her voice serious “We have more options between us.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines nodded, looking at Gavin who was calling him over as he felt sick once more, a weird phenomenon considering he was an android. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The raid?” Tina asked, following Nines gaze. Nines nodded, unable to speak as the two left the room. “Ok, go with Chris, we’ll figure this out.” Tina replied, moving over to go with Gavin. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once more, Nines heard Gavin scream and once more he had failed. Tina took him home once more and this time, with more understanding and a promise that they would find a way. </span>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Groundhog day.” Nines was the closest and Android could come to looking tired. Gavin was worried, he could tell, it was only a matter of time before he confronted Nines directly, although the reset of days helped reduce that risk. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh shit.” Tina replied, surprised as she sat with her morning coffee “How many?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“284” Nines replied simply, leaning against the side. “I have been telling you since the 17th.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tina nodded, pulling him into a hug as always as they went through what had happened so far. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re close then, we’ve nearly got everyone covered...just one more person.” Tina replied, hearing the run down of what had to happen “Maybe this is the one?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I hope so…” Nines replied, looking over at Gavin “We’re running out of options.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nines left to give Gavin his coffee, looking at the clock with a sign. Three more hours. He found that the outcomes were better when someone else said the raid, not him. They we’re more prepared, yes, but they were more desperate if they were unprepared. He passed off Gavin’s questions as a minor maintenance issue, that he would be ok tomorrow. It wasn’t completely a lie. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>3PM, Chris was the one to inform them of the raid this time, it stopped being Gavin at 19, Nines assumed it was because he was too worried to concentrate. His worry might be getting in the way of a successful raid but Nines couldn’t behave as if everything was normal, he knew that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tina went over the information they had, pretending that it was a source on the inside, this source was not going to be there at the time. Gavin questioned the validity but went along with it anyway. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>First, the three snipers were taken down, then the two gunmen on the ground were taken down, one by Nines who stuck with Gavin, one by Tina on the other route. Then they avoided a room full of traps which was quickly disabled. Nines took down another person with an axe and pulled Gavin away from a sleeping dart. They backed into a corner, Nines looking around as “all clear” calls rang in his ears. They had found what they came for already and the obvious choice would be to leave, he tried that, it failed. So they stayed put. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A shot. Nines pushed Gavin to the side, taking out his gun and shooting. The bullet hit the shooter, sending him to the ground. It also hit Nines, just missing the thirium pump. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nines!” Gavin pulled Nines into his lap, pushing on the wound “Hey, hey, you’re not going to let a bullet get you down huh terminator?” He looked scared, a feeling Nines knew all to well. His diagnostics weren’t looking good but he didn’t care. Tina joined them, helping Gavin stop the bleeding, a sign that the raid was over. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ok.” Nines stuttered out, every word, moving slightly so Gavin could look in his eyes “I saved you, it’s over.” He looked at Tina who nodded to confirm. “Look after him.” He added before everything went black. </span>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>8th of July. Nines woke up quickly, calling out Gavin’s name. They had moved on, the day had moved on. What if he hadn’t succeeded, what if Gavin was gone for good this time. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, hey Tin Can? I’m here.” Nines looked over to see Gavin who reached out and held his hand, leaning over towards him. He looked tired, like he hadn’t slept properly, even more so than usual. “Tina told me what the hell was going on with you.” He added, causing Nines to look away “You did it huh?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did it…” Nines replied, looking around the hospital room anyway, he was still scared, scared that Gavin would be taken from him at any moment, that it wasn’t over. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, look at me. It’s over, we took all the guys down in the raid. Tina double checked our apartment and the surrounding area based on what you told her, there’s nothing Nines, we’re safe.” Gavin replied softly, putting his hand to Nines cheek. Nines LED turned yellow, a welcome difference from the last days...day? “You nearly fired half your circuits you know, the stress levels you we’re constantly at, they’re not quite sure why you didn’t collapse earlier, the theory is your circuits reset everyday along with everything else.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” Nines tried to process that, he hadn’t even considered it, the levels of stress. He knew that was a problem but it seemed like nothing compared to what he knew was going to happen later in the day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ok, I’ll have to keep a better eye on you overworking yourself huh?” Gavin replied simply, “We should be able to go home soon, I think you’re due a good few days off after that.” He added, leaning over at kissing Nines, whose LED finally turned blue. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Some habits stayed for a few weeks, the checking of every coffee, the checking of the date every morning. But it got better, Nines got better. Those days haunted him on some of his worst nights but Gavin was there, every time, to hold him close. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It was over. That’s all Nines could remind himself everyday, everyday when he could wake up with Gavin by his side. It wasn’t something he would trade for the world and if he had to watch his nightmares play out in front of him a thousand more times to keep him safe, he would in a heartbeat. He could tell by the worried looks and soft touches that Gavin felt exactly the same way. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading if you've got this far! I would love to hear what you think and I hope you have a good day:)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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